


Brave Breeze

by Lsama_no_miko



Category: Slayers (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 06:17:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13805205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lsama_no_miko/pseuds/Lsama_no_miko
Summary: It's been 18 years since the epic battle with Dark Star, but Lina's troubles with power hungy mazoku lords didn't end there.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own a single one of the characters – the awesome Hajime Kanzaka-sama does – I just own the plot.

           The petite redhead leaned back in her chair and patted her now full belly. Looking at her, you wouldn’t think she was close to forty. No, Lina Inverse definitely didn’t look her age. Thanks to repeated exposure to and use of L-sama’s power, the sorceress had kept her youthful beauty. Being the favored chosen avatar of the mother of all things and none did have its advantages after all, she would remain in the form of a seventeen year old girl. But it also had one major disadvantage.

            No it wasn’t the constant barrage of mazoku and bandit attacks that had made up most of her days; though they were a pain. Lina looked at her companions and couldn’t help feel a tang of guilt. Gourry, her constant companion and occasional annoyance of the past eighteen years was beginning to show signs of aging. His once lustrous golden hair had begun to recede slightly and a few streaks of gray had made their way into the sunshine locks, and he was starting to slow down in spite of having kept up his swordsmanship and physical training. 

            Amelia was now as tall as her sister and just as curvy. The much smaller redhead cringed at the uncanny similarities between the two princesses of Seiruun. The only good thing about this was that Amelia wasn’t as insane as Naga or hell bent on being her rival, though she was still the lovable justice freak she’d spent so much time with. 

            The only ones of her companions that didn’t make her feel guilty about staying young were the chimera and golden dragon. Zel still looked as he did when she and Gourry had first met him; he had the same stone hard blue skin and razor sharp lavender metallic hair. The only difference had been the tired look in his crystal blue eyes. He still hadn’t found a single lead to regaining his former human self. She could see that he was on the verge of finally giving up. She did pity him though, having stone skin and razor sharp hair meant very little or no human contact.

            Filia however hadn’t changed much at all. She still looked like a young girl around twenty with long golden hair and clear blue, blue eyes. But she had definitely shed her naiveté and violent reactions to mazoku – well at least to one mazoku in particular. Of course she’d  **never in a million years**  admit it to  **anyone**  – herself included – but the golden dragon had come to respect the sneaky and mischievous priest/general as well developed a fondness for him.

             Xellos had popped around a few times, but that was over ten years ago and only his mistress and L-sama knew where he was at the moment.

            And then there was the reason they had all gathered at the dragon girl’s pottery/mace shop. He was currently sitting next to his ‘mother’ with a sullen look on his face even though the others were currently enjoying themselves, the petite redhead and blonde arguing over the last chicken bone as usual.

Lina had tried to find out what was bothering the now eighteen year old reincarnated Valgaav (now called Valteira) but the aqua haired anczoku would constantly turn away from her or quickly change the subject with one of the others

            The former dragon priestess was concerned for her ‘son’ as well. Val had been acting strangely for weeks now. He would be the sweet, kind, and gentle boy she’d raised for the past eighteen years one moment and in the very next heartbeat, he’d do a one-eighty and snap at his ‘mother’ or customers. Jillas and Gravos were also worried, but trusted Filia’s judgment and hoped that whatever was making the boy act this way would resolve itself soon.

            “Oi!” Jillas called coming out of the small kitchen/pottery studio attached to the shop. The fox man was getting on in years, streaks of gray ran through his fiery red fur but he still had the enthusiasm and energy of his younger years. Three sets of eyes gazed at the enormous cake he was currently balancing on a tray with eager gluttony. “You folks ready for dessert?” he asked.

            “You bet!” Lina squealed with girlish eagerness. She always did enjoy a good meal. “You’ve really outdone yourself with this one Filia!”

            The cake was  **eighteen**  layers – one for each year Val had lived – and she could sense that each one was a different flavor. Tiny black and gold dragons stood sentinel on alternating layers, a tiny marzipan flower (each in a different color) lay in between each dragon. At the top a single black dragon stood majestically with his tiny wings spread in pride. Eighteen candles (again each a different color) surrounded the dragon as if to protect him from all harm.

            Filia blushed with pride at the compliment. “I-It’s nothing really, Lina-san,” she replied modestly, “I just wanted to make something special for Val-kun’s special day. But I kind of got carried away.”

            “I can see that,” Zelgadis quipped good-naturedly, “but it really does look good, Filia.”

            “T-Thank you Zelgadis-san,” the golden dragon replied, blushing even more.

            “Hn, it’s just a stupid cake,” Val spat, annoyed that he still hadn’t figured out why he suddenly began to feel animosity toward Lina, the woman he’d looked up to and adored for as long as he could remember. The petite sorceress had been his occasional playmate and nanny during his early childhood and he had quickly grown fond of her and her magical antics. He knew it had to do with the dreams he’d been having the past few weeks, but he never could remember any of them.

            “Now, Val-kun your mum spent all day making that cake yesterday,” scolded Jillas, “You should be more polite.”

            “She’s not my mother!” the aqua haired teen roared, “She’s one of those scum who murdered my people!” He made to attack the blond dragon girl, but suddenly stopped inches away from her face. Filia stood there with utter shock written all over her gentle face.

             _‘Where’d he learn about **that**?!’ _ she asked silently,  _‘I know no one here ever told him, and I most certainly **did not**.’_  Ever since she found Val’s egg after their epic battle with Dark Star, the golden dragon swore that her ‘son’ would grow up living a normal life. That meant she would never burden him with the truth about his past. And for eighteen years, she had believed he never would be.  _‘Ooooooooothat…that **namagomi** **!!!**  I’ll give that Xellos a few good whacks with my mace if he dares show his disgusting face! How dare he ruin Val-kun’s happiness!!!?’_

            The younger dragon blinked his golden eyes in confusion, the sudden ‘vision’ of thousands of gold dragons slaughtering black dragons fading just as quickly as it came. Then he saw what he was about to do. He had one fist raised and poised to strike his ‘mother’s’ face while his other hand had grown black scales and claws and was dangerously close to her throat. Scared by this, Val’s face blanched and seconds later had him dashing through the kitchen and out the shop. Poor Filia would need a new front door. 

            “Val-kun!” she had yelled after him, but her ‘son’ was already long gone before his name left her lips.

            “I’ll talk to him,” Lina said, having lost her appetite at the teen’s outburst. She remembered every vivid detail the recording left behind by the anczoku race had shown them. The slaughter of Val’s people would forever haunt them all and none of them could have been more affected by that than Filia. But the way things were at the moment, Lina felt it best that it should be her that went after Val. Judging by his current mental state, there was the tiny risk that he’d attack his ‘mother’ again, besides, Lina probably could fare better against him if it should come to that.

            No one said a word as the redheaded sorceress quietly rose from her seat and strode out the shop.

 

********************************************************

 

            The peace and tranquility of the twilit sky was shattered by Val’s heart wrenching scream of utter anguish echoing throughout the boulder strewn field he’d run to. “What the hell’s happening to me?!!” he demanded. “My mother! I tried to kill my own mother!” He slammed his fist into the boulder next to the one he’d been sitting on, shattering it to rubble. Val just couldn’t understand what could have caused him to do that. What frightened him the most was the frequent memory blackouts he’d been suffering from off and on these past weeks. He’d remember being angry at various people, but not the reason why and the worried faces of his ‘family’ weren’t helping at all either.  _‘Am I becoming some kind of monster? Is that why kaa-san won’t talk about the past?’_

            “There you are Val!” Lina called, having finally caught up to the distraught anczoku teen.

            “You!” he screamed, “This is all  **your**  fault!!” He then lunged at her.

            “H-Hey w-wait a sec!” she pleaded, dodging away from the rampaging dragon teen.  _‘Yep, I kinda figured something like this would happen.’_  “Calm down Val!”

            “I will kill you Lina Inverse!!” Val bellowed, once again aiming for the petite redhead.

            The sorceress’s crimson eyes went wide in shock. She  **knew**  that look in Val’s angry gold eyes. She’d seen it so many times back then during the whole business with Dark Star. This was not Valteirathat she was now dodging and running from, this was  **Valgaav**!!! The boy looked even more like his former self than ever now that he had that hate filled glare and the stripes he had as a mazoku had mysteriously reappeared on his rather handsome face.

             _‘What in L-sama’s name is going on here?!’_  Lina wondered as she dodged a poorly formed magical burst from the dragon’s clawed hand.  _‘What happened to the kid? How the heck could he remember **that**?!!’_

            “Stand still you vile woman!!”

            “Heh, as if I’d be that stupid!” she shot back ducking behind a boulder, “Besides you really don’t wanna kill your Auntie Lina do you Val-kun?” she asked in the sickeningly sweet tone she had used when Val was much, much younger.

             “S-Shut up!” That had seemed to work. Lina was well aware of how the anczoku practically worshipped her when he was younger and still did.

            Val paused in mid strike, and just as quickly as the anger and hate had come, they left. “A-Auntie?” he whimpered, shaking violently from what he was about to do.

            “Hey, it’s ok. Shh. I’ve got you,” Lina said, wrapping her arms around the much taller teen. They stood like that for what seemed like hours, the sorceress not letting go of the dragon as he continued to sob into his hands. “So, you ready to tell me what’s been going on Val?”

            “I-I’m a monster, aren’t I?” he asked heartbrokenly.

            “Yeah right, and I’m really Shabranigdo’s mother,” scoffed Lina in a lame attempt to cheer the boy up.

            “I knew it,” Val spat bitterly. “So that’s why kaa-san never told me about my father. It’s Xellos-san isn’t it?”

            Lina sputtered then did a double take. Her face went green at the thought of her on again/off again crush and Filia together. “What makes you think  **that**?!! Come on Val, start making sense! Dragons and mazoku  **don’t**  mix!”

            “B-But you seen how she acts around him!” the aqua haired teen stammered in confusion.

            “So she’s friends with him, that doesn’t mean that Xel’s your dad, besides no one knows who your dad is.”

            “Exactly!” Val countered, “He  **could** be a mazoku! That’s got to be why I’m… why I-I…”

            “Val…” Lina interrupted, not sure what to say. “What does it matter who your dad was? You’re… you right?”

            “Easy for you to say, you know who you are, but I don’t! Not anymore!”

            “Val…” she attempted again.

            “Oh isn’t this a touching scene,” came a sneering voice.

            “Who’s there?! Show yourself!” the anczoku teen demanded, feeling protective of his redheaded ‘auntie’ and jumping in front of her.

            “How sweet, the widdle boy wants to play the knight.” A few feet away from them, a young girl with a blue braided hair around sixteen or seventeen emerged floating in mid air. She was wearing tight white pants and a blue military style jacket with green trimming. A sword hung loosely at her right.

            “Leave mazoku!” Val growled at seeing her cat like eyes, not budging from his spot, “You don’t belong here!”

            “Hmph. You ought to respect your elders, brat,” scowled the mazoku girl. “Lina Inverse,” she said, no longer paying the aqua haired teen any attention before disappearing and materializing behind the petite sorceress. “My lord requires your presence.” The mazoku then brought the hilt of her sword down on the back of Lina’s head, effectively knocking her out before either of them could act.

            “L-Lina!!” shouted Val, fear, anger, and hate etched onto his face.

            “Run along home to mommy, little boy,” sneered the mazoku after reappearing in mid air, Lina slung over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

            “Give her back!!!” he bellowed and quickly transforming into a magnificent black dragon.

            The blue haired mazoku only laughed derisively as she dodged out of Val’s breath attack. “Pathetic,” she sneered, her malicious laughter echoing throughout the area as she and her cargo vanished completely. Val turned back to his human form and let out an anguished scream.

            “Yare, yare,” Xellos said as he materialized into the boulder strewn field. “It appears I was too late.

 

~Tsuzuku!!!~


	2. Part 2

“Yare, yare,” Xellos said as he materialized into the boulder strewn field. “It appears I was too late.

The aqua haired teen spun around upon hearing the mazoku priest’s voice and lunged at him, knocking Xellos backward against a particularly large boulder. “You!!” screamed Val, pinning the much older mazoku against the boulder and starting to shake him violently. “You did this!!!! Give her back you… you… namagomi!!!”

Xellos silently chuckled at the teen’s insult.  _‘It looks like Filia-chan’s starting to really rub off on him,’_  he mused, remembering the former golden dragon priestess’ constant use of that particular insult for him. Normally, the violet haired priest would have rather enjoyed his former enemy’s anguish, but this wasn’t the time or place for this. “Now Val-kun, let’s all calm down here,” he said smiling in that annoying manner that drove most of Lina’s friends nuts.

            “The hell I will!!” spat Val, his golden eyes flaring with teenaged fury. “You give Lina back!!!”

            The mazoku priest’s eyes opened revealing twin cat like amethyst pools. The aqua haired former mazoku had to step back feeling slightly unnerved by those rarely opened eyes. “As much as I would love to admit keeping Lina-chan all to myself Val-kun, I’m afraid it wasn’t me this time.”

            “Then who was it?!” Val demanded reluctantly releasing the amethyst haired priest.

            “We should get the others first don’t you think?” Xellos replied dusting himself off.

            The aqua haired teen glared at him, but said nothing. The mazoku was right; Lina’s friends and his ‘mother’ needed to be told about the petite sorceress’ kidnapping. He turned away, deciding not to pay any more attention to the annoying ‘namagomi’ and started back to Filia’s shop.

 

****************************************************************

 

            Filia had been anxiously pacing through the shop, waiting for her distraught ‘son’ and Lina to return. Zelgadis and Amelia had tried to get her to relax, but it was no use. Gourry, however, was as confused and oblivious as ever and had just shrugged it off as the many zany occurrences that kept happening whenever the redheaded sorceress was involved.

Fearful sapphire eyes went wide at Val’s frantic state as he burst into the shop followed by a rather cheerful Xellos.

            “Just what is going on here, Xellos?!” the golden dragon ordered, shooting the mazoku a scathing accusatory look.

            “S-She…” Val started, feeling angry with himself for not being able to protect the feisty sorceress he worshipped.

            “XELLOS METALLIUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” bellowed the former priestess, lifting up her dress and yanking out the enormously heavy mace she kept stashed underneath. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO LINA-SAN YOU NAMAGOMI MAZOKU?!!!!!!”

             _‘Maa, maa Val-kun is definitely taking after his ‘mother’,’_  Xellos thought amusedly as he dodged the furious dragon’s wild swinging with the mace.

            “I’d start explaining, if I were you,” Zelgadis said icily, managing to catch the mazoku priest off guard and thrust the tip of his sword against Xellos’ throat.

            “I’d love to, Zel-kun but don’t you think we’d better wait ‘til she calms down first?”

            The chimera turned to the still swinging and yelling dragon girl. Sighing, he shook his head and grabbed the golden tail sticking out from under her dress. Feeling something yanking at her tail, Filia growled and whirled around, ready to strike at what she assumed to be a certain pain in the neck mazoku. Being used to her rages, Zel just ducked out of the mace’s path and grabbed onto Filia’s wrist preventing any more damage to her shop. “That’s enough Filia, let the fruitcake explain.” He shot a warning glance at the still grinning mazoku.

            Filia blinked confusedly as she slowly came to herself again and blushed at the closeness of the rather handsome looking chimera. Feeling Xellos’ amused glance on her she sputtered slightly then turned back to the object of her annoyance. “So start explaining!” she demanded.

            “Well,” the violet haired priest said helping himself to a cup of Filia’s finest tea – which earned a furious glare from the dragon girl. “It would appear that Haou-sama’s finally taken an interest in our dear Lina-chan,” he announced.

            “Haou?” Zel asked, getting a sudden chill down his stone spine, “You don’t mean..?!”

            “Hai, Grausherra’s on the move it would seem,” the trickster priest replied, “Juuou-sama sent me to make sure nothing happened to Lina-chan, but alas I had arrived a second too late.”

            Val’s fist hit the shop counter, causing a huge dent to appear in the sturdy wood.

            “Where is she?” the chimera asked, blue eyes narrowing in outrage.

            “That…” Xellos began, pausing for dramatic effect and making all those present – except a certain jellyfish brained blond – to glare threateningly at the mischievous mazoku. “I don’t know.”

            “You damned well know where Lina is!!!” growled an irate Val as he once again grabbed hold of the older mazoku and began shaking him again.

            “Honestly Val-kun, I don’t, not for sure that is,” choked out the mazoku.

            “So where do you think she is?” Zel demanded.

            “If it’s Grausherra that’s got her, then it’s possible whoever took her would bring her straight to him. But as I said, I arrived too late so I don’t know the entire circumstances.”

            All eyes then turned to the aqua haired teen, anxiously waiting him to explain what happened. Val dropped the mazoku then hung his head in anger and shame. “I-I went to… to that spot I like to use for thinking,” he began quietly. Filia nodded at her ‘son’ both in understanding and encouragement. “Lina-bachan came to… to check on me I guess. Oh gods I… I!” The reincarnated dragon began to shake and tremble violently as he remembered almost hurting his beloved ‘auntie’.

            “Shh. Val-kun it’s alright whatever you did, I’m sure you didn’t mean it sweetie,” Filia cooed as she glomped her ‘son’ and began rubbing circles along his back. “I’m sure she’ll forgive you too. You know she adores you.”

            “But ‘kaa-san!”

            “Valteira,” Zel said, placing one gloved hand on the dragon teen’s shoulder. “I know it’s hard, but you have to tell us what happened to Lina.”

            Val continued to sniffle a few moments then nodded. The chimera was right after all, Lina was more important than his stupid teenage angst. “T-There was a woman,” he began once more. “A mazoku,” he spat in disgust. “She said something about her ‘lord’ requiring ‘bachan’s presence then took her away before I could do anything. She was so quick.”

            “What did she look like?” Xellos asked, both eyes open now and a serious glint shining in their amethyst depths.

            “Blue hair in a braid down to her waist, white pants, and blue jacket; it was some kind of military job I think.”

            Xellos’s eyes narrowed. He knew that mazoku, knew her all too well. “So we were right,” he said grimly. “Haou Dynast Grausherra has her.”

            Filia screamed in horror. Amelia fainted. Zelgadis glared at the mazoku. Val swore vehemently. Gourry…

            “Um… so who’s this ‘Grow Sheriff’ guy anyway and what’s he want with Lina?” the imbecilic blond asked completely unfazed by these turn of events.

            “It’s ‘Grausherra’,” Zel corrected exasperatedly.

            “That’s what I said ‘Grow Sheriff’. So what’s he want with her?” Gourry asked again.

            The chimera began to silently count backwards from ten.  _‘How in L-sama’s name does Lina put up with him, and why? Sirius took the Hikari no Ken with him so she’s got no reason to let him hang with her.’_

            “That, Gourry-san,” Xellos explained, his eyes closed now, “is a very good question.”

            There were various glares, growls and curses at the mazoku’s refusal to give a straight answer.

 

****************************************************

 

Meanwhile…

            “I have brought the Inverse girl, master,” the blue haired mazoku said, phasing into Dynast Grausherra’s freezing cold throne room. She then unceremoniously dumped her ‘cargo’ before the mazoku lord’s ice covered throne.

            “Well done, Sherra. Though you should be more… respectful of our guest.” The black haired teen rose from his throne, removing one ice blue glove from one hand and placed it on the unconscious girl’s forehead. An icy blue energy spread from the mazoku lord’s fingers onto Lina’s soft skin. The spell had the same effect as a bucket of ice water and the petite sorceress shot straight up.

            “Aiyeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! Cold! Cold! Cold! Cold!!!” she screamed.

            “Good of you to join us, Miss Inverse,” Dynast Grausherra said, highly amused at the human’s reaction.

            Lina jerked her head toward the voice, ready to snap at whomever it was that decided to wake her from one of her better dreams. Before her stood a young man who appeared to be not that much older than her own assumed age. He couldn’t have been no more than eighteen or nineteen and had short glossy black hair. He wore night black armor with gold trimming and a snow white cape that hung regally from his shoulder plates and around his slender neck. She was rather taken aback by this handsome young man and dollar signs appeared in her eyes thinking him to be some sort of prince. But that dream was soon shattered once she spied his coal black feline eyes.

            “A-A-A-A ma-ma-ma…” she stammered not just from the freezing temperature of the ice palace.

            “Yes, my dear I am a mazoku,” Grausherra said coolly, still amused by this mere slip of a girl. “I’m sure you’ve remembered who I am by now, Lina Inverse.”

           Now that her befuddled mind had recovered from the mazoku’s rather rude awaking, Lina’s ruby eyes widened in shock and fear. There was no mistaking this particular mazoku. After all she did have a run in with him a few years back. “D-Dynast G-G-Grausherra,” she stammered shivering both in fear and from the sheer cold. Not much was known about the reclusive Lord of the North, but he was rumored to be one of the worst of the five great servants of Shabranidgo. Dynast Grausherra wasn’t exactly known for his ‘warm personality’. “B-But I-I s-s-s-ealed you away!!!”

            “You’re as bright as they say, my dear,” the raven haired mazoku lord said, his cold dark eyes never leaving her for an instant. “I can see why Juuou is rather found of you. And yes, you did lock me away in that disgusting armor of Zanafar’s, but as you can see my dear, I am quite alive.”

            Lina felt her very soul freeze at that cold, hard, and possessive stare. “W-What a-are you going t-to do with m-me?” she asked trying her best to put on a defiant posture and failing miserably.

            “Why that all depends on you, dear Lina,” Grausherra purred, giving her petite form another appraising glance. “If you’re a good little girl, I just might let you live… a bit longer,” he explained, cupping her chin in his hand, making her yelp from the icy touch of his skin. “Misbehave… well… let’s just say you most definitely  **won’t**  like it at all.”

            The redheaded sorceress gulped. But Lina wasn’t about to let  **anyone**  bully her; she had gotten more than enough of that from her older sister growing up. “G-G-Go t-to h-hell!” she spat as defiantly as she could manage.

            The mazoku lord sighed in disappointment. “I was expecting better of you, my dear, so be it,” he said, his tone colder than the grave. “You know what to do, Sherra.” He then shoved the human toward his loyal general and the blue haired woman caught her in a vise like grip, effectively restraining her arms and disabling her from casting any spells.

            “You really should have listened to Dynast-sama,” she chided, smirking maliciously. She was overjoyed at the prospect of ‘playing’ with the current object of her beloved master’s affections. “At least one of us is going to have some fun.” With that she teleported further into the depths of the ice palace, toting Lina along for the ride and her ‘fun.’

 

 

~TBC~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations for Slayers newbs:  
> Anczoku – Ancient Dragon   
> Mazoku – Demon/Monster depending on which translation you’re watching or reading  
> Namagomi – literally translates as kitchen waste, but can mean raw garbage (Filia’s favorite word for Xellos ^_^)  
> Kaa-san – Mom  
> Bachan – Auntie  
> Juuou – Beast Master (literally Beast King)  
> Haou – Supreme King  
> Yare yare – not really sure what this means, but I’ve seen it translated as ‘Oh my’ or ‘My my’ or ‘Good grief’


	3. Part 3

            The black haired mazoku lord surveyed his prize as the girl hung limply from the stone ceiling. Her petite form was completely covered head to foot with various degrees of bruises, cuts, burns, whip marks and bites. Sherra certainly knew what she was doing, though most of the bruises and bites were his own handiwork.

            “You really should have listened to me, Lina dear,” he whispered, mocking a lover’s voice, ignoring the drip-drip of the crimson liquid and other fluids as they slid from her unconscious form. “I wouldn’t have had to be so rough with you.”

            The once vibrant sorceress said nothing, her ruby eyes glazed over as her mind was elsewhere at the moment, it having fled the moment the mazoku had forced himself on her. “You must have known, I’d get what I wanted one way or another,” he continued, caressing her scarred cheek. “But you had to be so stubborn didn’t you?” He let out an exasperated sigh. “Just remember, you brought this upon yourself.”

            With that he snapped the girl’s neck, a rare act of mercy from the cruel Lord of the North. Or was it? Before her soul could return to the Sea of Chaos, he shoved a bit of his own essence into the ruined corpse and forced the two to meld together. He then forced Lina’s broken neck back into place and began healing the cleanly broken spinal cord. Within moments, the redheaded sorceress gave out a bloodcurdling scream very much like those Sherra had wrung from her. It wasn’t a scream of pain however, but one of rebirth.

            She continued to scream for several more minutes as the mazoku energy overpowered her once human self and rearranged her very core to its master’s liking as well as slowly ridding her physical form of all the blemishes and scars. “It wouldn’t have to have hurt so much if you’d only listen to what I had to offer,” Grausherra said with the barest hint of pity in his normally cold voice. “I was hoping you’d be a bit more reasonable, Lina dear.” He then titled the once again unconscious sorceress’s head back slightly and leant closer.

            “Dynast-sama!” the blue haired general shouted as she came running into the dungeon.

            Her lord and master glared at her, not liking being interrupted. Then he felt it, an all too familiar presence. “So that bitch’s jester thinks he can just waltz in here does he?” he snarled.

            “Forgive me, master,” Sherra pleaded, “He just appeared so suddenly!”

            Dynast nodded in understanding. “Stay here and make sure  **no one**  gets near our new pet.”

            “But master!” the mazoku woman protested.

            “Do you honestly think Xellos would just show up announced with no back up do you Sherra?”

            The mazoku general paled at her master’s icy stare. “O-Of course not master!” she stammered. “T-That’s why –“

            “You need to stay down here Sherra dear,” the mazoku lord commanded, the tone of his voice leaving no room for protesting, “To make sure our ‘guest’ doesn’t come to any harm.”

            “As you wish, Dynast-sama,” Sherra replied, bowing.

            “Good girl.”

            Dynast Grausherra then turned with a flourish of his cape and strode from the castle dungeons.

 

*******************************************************************

 

            Val hated not being in the battle that was raging on above him. But Zelgadis and Xellos both had a point. Someone  **had** to look for Lina while the others kept Grausherra busy. Also the mazoku lord’s general was suspiciously missing from the battle as well.  _‘I swear I’ll kill that mazoku bitch if anything’s happened to Lina!’_  he vowed as he made his way to the last door at the end of the vast hall. He failed to notice during the whole trip to Grausherra’s palace that he no longer called the petite sorceress ‘Lina-bachan’.  He did have more pressing matters at hand, like getting her the heck away from the icy hearted mazoku lord.

             _‘Please L-sama let this be the right one,’_ the aqua haired teen begged as he placed one shaking hand on the door’s handle and hesitantly shoved it open. “You!!” he snarled upon seeing the blue haired mazoku woman standing before something hanging from what appeared to be thick rusty chains.

            “Oh isn’t this cute?! It’s the little dragon brat coming to play the hero!” Sherra sneered.

            Val’s gold eyes narrowed and flashed with utter hatred and disgust. “Where’s Lina?!” he demanded, his arms convulsing as he fought the urge to transform into his anczoku form.

            “Lina?” the mazoku general mocked, “Lina? Hmm…” she placed a finger on her chin in mock confusion. “I don’t think we’ve got anyone by that name here, at least no one  **human**.” She smugly stepped aside, revealing the naked form of a redheaded girl. The girl weakly lifted her head, her dull slitted crimson eyes desperately trying to focus.

            That did it. The anczoku teen roared in rage and transformed. The small (well small for his race) black dragon roared again and shot his laser breath at Sherra.

            “Careful, careful widdle bittle baby,” she jeered as she dodged out of the way, “We wouldn’t want your precious Lina to get hurt.”

            “Shut the ^*&% up bitch!” the dragon bellowed before swiping at her with his claws.

            “Tsk Tsk, such language. What  **are**  they teaching children these days?” mocked Sherra, sitting in mid air, her legs crossed.

            “Hold still damnit!”

            “And what?” the blue haired mazoku mocked, “Ruin my fun? I don’t think so kid.” Sherra then decided that this was indeed getting boring. Grabbing the hilt of her sword, she unsheathed it in one fluid motion. “Well Dulgofa, you ready for some fun?” she asked.

            “Oooh,” the sword replied in anticipation, “I haven’t tasted anczoku blood in over a thousand years. Let’s play with ‘im a bit more, Sherra-sama!”

            “Nah,” his mistress said, “I’m getting bored with the brat. Besides, Dynast-sama may need my help.”

            “But didn’t he say-“

            “I know what he said, Dulgofa!” Sherra snapped. “But if you think I’m going to sit this one out and baby-sit some slut Dynast-sama decided to pick up, you’ve got another thing coming!”

            “Aw come on Sherra-sama!! Just a couple minutes? Please?!” the sword pleaded, “It’s been soooooooo long! And anczoku blood is soooooooo delicious!!”

            Val stared as the mazoku continued to argue with her pleading subordinate/sword. Had it been under different circumstances, it would have been rather comical. However, this was a rather serious situation. The black dragon didn’t know what exactly had been done to her, but what he did know was that Lina was in dire need of help.

            Taking advantage of his opponent’s distraction, he lunged forward and swiped at Sherra, knocking her back into the far wall. With the speed born of desperation, Val de-transformed and leapt at Sherra, growling furiously. Before the mazoku general knew it, she had found herself pinned against the freezing stone wall, her sword arm tightly pressed against her side and currently useless. The blue haired woman silently cursed herself for choosing to ignore the dragon boy.

            “I admit, you’ve got spunk kid,” she wheezed, “I  **hate**  spunk! But it’ll take more than that to save that whore.”

            “Lina’s not a whore!” he bellowed, tightening his grip on the mazoku woman.

            “Oh really now, I’ve heard differently. Dynast-sama did say she rather enjoyed it. In fact, she was practically begging him by the time he was done.”

            Val’s eyes went wide in shock and utter disbelief. Lina had…  **his**  Lina had done  **that**  with the mazoku bastard willingly?!  _‘W-Wait a sec here, **my** Lina?!’ _the aqua haired teen asked silently, hate towards his ‘auntie’ flooding his mind,  _‘Since when did I consider that loud mouthed, flat-chested, harpy mine?!’_  He would have to worry about the sudden strange possessiveness and hatred later, much later. He still had Sherra to deal with. “Y-You lie!” he sputtered.

“Do I?” she gasped grinning, the claws at her throat, digging into the skin. It wasn’t a lie; she did hear the former human beg, though not in the way she had led the anczoku teen to believe.

“There’s no way she’d… Lina loves…” he whispered, his resolve starting to weaken.

“Who? You kid?” Sherra sneered, “Last I heard, she was screaming Dynast-sama’s name,  **all** day long too.”

“X…Xellos,” he whispered brokenly, “S-She loves Xellos.”

“Aww isn’t that just the cyyuuuuuuuuutest!” the mazoku woman taunted, “The itty bitty dwagon’s got a cwush on widdle Lina slut!!”

Val had had enough of this bitch’s taunts and jeers. In fact, he was absolutely livid. So what if the redheaded sorceress had slept with Dynast Grausherra, willingly or not. It still didn’t change the fact that she appeared to be hurt and badly.  **No one** , absolutely  **no one**  hurt  **his**  Lina and lived.

“Shut your f*&^ing hole, mazoku bitch unless you want those to be your last words!” he growled.

“Ooo, oh no the big bad dragon’s gonna eat me!” mocked Grausherra’s general, totally unafraid of the teen’s threats.

Val let out an enormous roar of rage and thrust his hand through the woman’s chest. He then wiggled the clawed appendage inside until he found the vile creature’s core. Smirking, he grasped as tightly as he could then silently thanked Zelgadis for teaching him the particular spell he began casting. “Ra Tilt!!” he shouted, not letting go until he was certain that the spell had struck the mazoku’s core.

Sherra screamed in agony as she felt the astral spell attack her on the astral plane as well, “D-Damn you!!” she yelled. In a last ditch effort she weakly lifted her sword and somehow managed to knick the aqua haired teen’s side with the blade. The mazoku general faded from the material plane, a smirk of triumph on her face. Dulgofa wouldn’t dare let his mistress down; the demon sword had done its work.

The anczoku teen roared in excruciating pain as the mazoku energy coursed through him. Val refused to let it end like this; he  **had** to save Lina! Having collapsed, he crawled over to the still hanging newborn mazoku redhead.

“V… V..al..gaav?” Lina choked out hoarsely, her feline eyes refusing to believe what they were seeing.

Lying before her with one hand outstretched in a desperate attempt to reach her, was Val. Except this wasn’t the Val she’d known for the past eighteen years. The scars he once had on his cheeks during his time serving Maryuuou Gaav had returned as well as the horn that once graced his forehead.

“L-Lina…” the now once again mazoku/anczoku hybrid gasped before blacking out.

 

 

~TBC~


	4. Part 4

           “Lina!!!!” the now middle aged Gourry bellowed as he burst through the dungeon door. His eyes bugged at the sight of the petite redhead’s naked and abused body hanging from the ceiling, Val lying unconscious at her feet. He immediately began to blush profusely and promptly passed out – due to extreme blood loss, this being the first time he ever really got a good look at the cute sorceress – he was way too much of a gentlemen to even think of peeping on her all those times they’d shared a room.

            “Yare, yare,” Xellos muttered at the blond’s antics as he materialized in the stone room. He glanced curiously at the prone teen on the floor but ignored him for the moment. He almost didn’t recognize the redhead when he had phased into the dungeon due to the fact that he could feel no human presences within the chamber. He had recognized Valgaav’s own unique signature and was still curious as to what had happened to bring back their former enemy. However, it wasn’t that what mattered at the moment. Turning to the unknown mazoku presence he was sensing, he gripped his staff and proceeded cautiously to the girl hanging by a set of old thick chains.

Amethyst slitted eyes widened slightly before narrowing upon taking in the full extent of her current state. That long red hair and rather small chest were unmistakable, before him was the human sorceress he’d come to adore and lust after. Xellos felt his black blood boil when he realized that the mazoku presence was coming from his beloved Lina-chan.

“It seems I may have gone too easy with Dynast-sama after all,” the purple haired mazoku said in an icy tone that could rival the coldest temperature of their current locale. True he had used most of his power with helping in the fight with the Lord of the North, but he held back slightly, not killing him when presented with the chance. Instead, he had left the mazoku lord drained and badly wounded – thanks to combining Zelgadis and Filia’s white and holy magic with his own dark. He quickly unsnapped his cloak and wrapped it around the naked girl once she was freed from the rusty chains. “Juuou-sama isn’t going to like this new development,” he said gingerly holding Lina close to him.

            “Lina!”

            “Lina-san!”

            The others soon came rushing through the now mangled door. Zelgadis’ eyes flared before going into narrow slits noticing what, or rather who, Xellos had in his arms while Amelia gasped. There was a tiny whimper from the golden haired dragon priestess just before she fainted upon seeing the ancient dragon she’d once fought against on the floor.

            The black haired princess immediately ran to Filia’s side and began attempting to revive her. A groan drew the chimera’s attention and he placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, eying the aqua haired anczoku/mazoku as he struggled to regain full control of his faculties. “L-Lina…” he choked.

            “I have her Val-kun,” the mazoku priest replied, “Grausherra will think twice before pulling another stunt like this again.”

            “G-Good.”

            “Just what happened here,” Zel asked, still unable to trust the teen, “Why do you look like that Val?”

            Xellos raised an amethyst eyebrow, noticing the slash on the aqua haired teen’s side. “Hmm…. It looks like Dulgofa got to him.”

            “Dulgofa?” queried Zel.

            “That b*^#h’s sword,” the newly restored Valgaav spat, sitting up.

            “So she did manage to nick you did she, Val-kun,” the mazoku priest supplied.

            “Yeah, but I got her good. Thanks for that spell Zelgadis-san.”

            “You’re welcome. Not to be rude here, but you’re not going to try and kill us again are you?” the chimera asked, still not taking his hand off his sword.

            There was a hurt look on the teen’s face as flashes of his former life flooded his memories. “I-I wouldn’t!!” Val stammered shamefully, “Though I don’t blame you at all for not trusting me anymore now.”

            “Well, you don’t seem like you want to kill anyone now,” Amelia interjected, “So it’d be very unjust if we didn’t trust you.”

            Zelgadis inwardly groaned at the princess’ obsessive talk about justice, but she did have a point. It was as clear as day that even though he looked like Valgaav on the outside, the aqua haired half-breed was still Valteira on the inside.

            “Now that’s all cleared up,” Xellos spoke up, “I think it’d be best that we all leave this nasty place, ne?” With that said, he promptly dematerialized, still carrying Lina.

            “Just where do you think you’re going with her namagomi?!!!” shouted a very irate, not to mention jealous, Val.

            Zel looked at the teen quizzically, but chose to keep silent. Instead, he decided to take the mazoku’s lead and left the dungeon.

“V-Val-kun…” Filia began timidly, but soon found herself unable to say anything else, her throat restricting any further words.

“I’m still me okaa-san,” he said avoiding her eyes, still ashamed of his former self.

“Oh Valteira!!” the dragon priestess cried as she rushed toward her adopted son and pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

“A mother’s love is soooooo beautiful!!!” Amelia sobbed, making Val feel a bit queasy with all the positive emotions the princess was giving off.

“Oh hi, Val-kun,” the blond swordsman said finally haven regained consciousness, “Um… why do I have the strangest feeling I missed something?” he asked vaguely.

Filia shook her head in amusement. “We’d better get going Gourry-san,” she said, hurriedly wiping at her tears.

“Oh ok. Um… where’s Lina?”

 

******************************************************************************

 

            The aqua haired anczoku/mazoku snapped out of his doze at the sound of a groan. Blinking the fogginess from his sleep deprived brain, he realized that his head was on the mattress and that yet again he was about to fall asleep.

            He had been sitting at Lina’s bedside ever since the purple haired mazoku had brought them to Wolf Pack Island, much to Xellos’ annoyance. It was plain as day that the sneaky priest had considered the petite girl to be his to Val, but there was no way in heck he’d let that creep anywhere near her. Not especially after what happened with Dynast Grausherra. So he – with help from his ‘mother’ – had practically thrown the mazoku out of his own room – which Xellos had said was the  **only**  safe place to put her – much to the purple haired man’s irritation.

            Another groan drew Val out of his musings and he looked over to the redheaded mazoku beside him. Lina’s ruby feline eyes blinked confusedly as she sleepily rubbed at them. “Val?” she asked upon seeing him.

            “You’re safe now, Lina,” he said tentatively brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “We all got you away from that b@$^@rd.”

            “That much I kinda figured. But just what the heck’s going on here?! How come you look like you us… uh that?” She quick stopped herself from breaking Filia’s number one rule – no mentioning of Val’s past whatsoever.

            “I already know what I did Lina, what I once was, you don’t need to hide it anymore,” the teen replied forlornly.

            “But… how?”

            “Forget about it, Lina,” he said a little too forcefully making her flinch slightly. “How are you feeling?”

            The sorceress yawned, causing her to smile sheepishly. “I do kinda feel a bit tired, but what I am right now is hungry!” Val nodded, remembering his own hunger after having woken as a mazoku. “But the weird part is, I don’t feel like eating a single thing.”

            “Lina…” the aqua haired anczoku/mazoku attempted.

            “H-He did something to me didn’t he?” He nodded again, turning his head away. “Spill it, Val. What did he do?!” He just couldn’t do it, couldn’t bring himself to say the words ‘turned you into a mazoku.’ “Val, please!” she begged, desperate now, her already calculating mind coming to its own conclusion. She needed someone else to confirm it otherwise; she’d go insane from the rapidly mounting mental stress.

            “Tell her Val-kun. She deserves to know,” Xellos said phasing into the room.

            “Xel?” she asked, turning to the newcomer. The somber look on his handsome face looked extremely wrong there, as if it were an abomination for the trickster priest to wear such an expression.

            Still unable to speak, the aqua haired teen balled his hands into fists. Xellos gave the younger mazoku halfbreed an oddly sympathetic look and produced a hand mirror, giving it to him. Val looked at it as if it were a giant neon green spider with pink roller skates singing bad Andrew Lloyd Webber show tunes for several moments before handing it to the now frantic Lina with equally trembling and unsteady hands.

            Lina stared at her reflection, wincing at the rapidly fading bruises and bite marks. Then she saw her eyes and let out a heart wrenching scream of “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!”

            Upon hearing the scream, Filia burst into the room, ready to pound whoever dared attack her dearest friend with her trademark mace. When she saw the sobbing and heartbroken redhead on the bed, she dropped the mace – onto Xel’s head, by accident of course – and rushed to her side. “Oh Lina, I’m so, so, so sorry!” she cried, pulling her to her chest, “We tried to get there as quick as we could, but…” The dragon priestess broke down and sobbed along with her friend.

            “Lina, this is all my fault,” Val said remorsefully, “if I hadn’t tried to… if you hadn’t gone after me…you’d still be…”

            “That’s enough!” Three pairs of eyes stared at the puffy eyed mazoku. “Even if what happened at your mom’s never had happened, Dynast would still come after me and I’d still be like this only worse.” The petite mazoku cringed inwardly, remembering the cold hearted mazoku lord’s whispered words as she hung in that horrid dungeon. She was beginning to understand Dynast’s words just before he robbed her of her most precious treasure.

 

Flashback

             _“Honestly Lina,” Dynast Grausherra chided as he ran one ice cold hand along the sorceress’s barely covered hip and thigh, causing Lina to shiver, and it wasn’t just from the deathly cold of his skin. “How much more do you think you can survive this? Why not just give in. I could make it more than worth your while, my dear. I am not above pampering my pets.”_

_“R-Rot in hell!!” she spat as defiantly as she could manage._

_The Lord of the North gave a wry chuckle. “No can do, Lina-chan,” he sneered. “I believe it’s thanks to you that there no longer is a hell to rot in.” The redhead said nothing, continuing her rebellion in silence. The black haired mazoku sighed. “Suit yourself. I tried being nice, but apparently seduction’s wasted on a…” He glanced at the girl’s exposed chest – or lack of – and smirked, “child like you.”_

_Lina tensed at the stab at her chest size since that had always been her sorest spot. “It’s time you realized, my dear,” Grausherra whispered into her ear. “You’re mine. And always will be, there’s no escape from me, Lina-chan.” The way he said it reminded her of what a lover might had sounded like if she had one, but she felt no joy at that voice, no butterflies in the tummy, no weakening of the knees. All she felt was sheer terror and revulsion at the mere thought of that ‘man’ touching her. Lina was hard pressed to keep herself from vomiting onto the mazoku lord’s neatly pressed military style clothing._

_The screaming resumed when she felt him ripping the remains of her tattered stockings from the lower half of her body._

End Flashback

 

            The redhead began to shake as the strange longing she felt upon waking to increase. The more she thought of the handsome mazoku lord who had tortured and raped her, she felt more and more disgusted by the increasing need to be by his side. It was taking all of her willpower not to burst from that room and fly, or whatever it was mazoku did to travel, to Grausherra’s side.

            “Lina…”

            “Stop it Val,” the redheaded mazoku sorceress protested, silently grateful for the distraction, “I will  **not**  have you beating yourself up over this! So what if I’m a mazoku now?! It’s not like I can waltz over there and say, ‘Hey Dyn-chan, change me back!’”

            “That’s why I…” the aqua haired teen tried once more. Lina placed a lone finger on his lips, effectively shocking and silencing him simultaneously. She couldn’t help but think of how cute he looked as a faint tinge of pink began to color his cheeks.

            “What’s done is done,” Lina said solemnly, “But can be undone, right? I’m sure if I can get a hold of a copy of the Clair Bible, I’d find a way to turn us both back.”

            “Lina-chan,” Xellos piped up, “whatever happened to being reasonable?” He was remembering a similar conversation between the redhead and Zelgadis in where she had emphatically tried to get the chimera to ‘be reasonable’ about his constantly failed searches for a cure to reverse Rezo’s spell.

            “I  **am**  being reasonable!” she shouted. “If I was able to learn the Giga Slave from it, why not a way to reverse this?!”

            “Do you even know where there are any copies?” Xellos asked. “I didn’t think so,” he added rather smugly upon receiving no answer.

            “It’s time for you to leave,” Val growled, not liking the way the purple haired man was handling this.

            Sighing, Xellos nodded and left. He knew she needed time to adjust, and that was one thing all mazoku had, plenty of time.

            “Um… Val,” Lina began, blushing a bright scarlet red upon finally noticing her current state of dress. “WHERE IN L-SAMA’S NAME ARE MY CLOTHES?!!!”

 

~TBC~


	5. Part 5

            The aqua haired mazoku watched silently as his redheaded companion paced around the room. This had become a daily occurrence ever since Lina had woken up after their ‘ordeal’ at Grausherra’s a few weeks ago, and to tell the truth Val was getting quite annoyed – though it was more at his own inability to help the mazoku that had once been his ‘auntie’ than her incessant pacing.

            “Lina…” he attempted.

            “What?!” she snapped, causing the taller mazoku to cringe slightly. “Sorry, Val,” she apologized upon seeing Val’s forlorn expression. “It’s just that it’s driving me nuts!!”

            The aqua haired teen nodded in understanding. He too had felt the pull. When a mazoku was created, he or she would sometimes – depending on their creator’s whims – be driven to remain at their master’s side at all costs to insure their loyalty. However, most of the more powerful ones were able to ignore this urge for much, much longer periods of time, hence Xellos’ ability to travel about whenever he damn well felt like it.

            Val’s own ‘pull’ was making him antsy as well, urging him to get up and leave – but where to, he just couldn’t figure out. It was as if that strange empty hole deep within his soul he had felt for most of his life had suddenly been filled. What was even stranger was that the ‘pull’ was active. They all knew Maryuuou Gaav had been killed by Phibrizzo, but here he was longing for his former master’s presence.  _‘It’s got to be because I’ve only just gotten these damned memories back,’_  he inwardly sulked,  _‘I never asked to remember my past life! I was happy! Damn you L-sama!’_ The horned mazoku stifled the growl that threatened to escape his throat, not wishing to alarm his redheaded fellow mazoku.

            Lina was doing fine herself, but he could see that it was becoming increasingly more difficult for the petite sorceress turned mazoku. It had appeared that Grausherra was yanking at the other end of the ‘pull’ making the longing she felt ten times as worse in spite of his current state.  _‘Why didn’t that freakin’ namagomi kill him?!’_ Val cursed silently.

            “Gods Val! I can still feel those disgusting, freezing hands of his on me and L-sama help me I want to feel that again!” she exclaimed, shivering at the memories as she moved closer to the fireplace instinctively, not to mention snapping her taller companion out of his silent ranting.

            “It’ll be okay, Lina,” he soothed, gingerly wrapping his arms around her tiny waist in hopes of giving his former nanny some added strength. “We’ll all help. I won’t let him have you again.  _Ever_.”

            He let out a soft growl that caused her to stiffen slightly, but soon realized that it wasn’t being directed at her. “V-Val?!” Lina gasped, surprised at the other mazoku’s sudden protectiveness of her. Had this been any other situation, she’d probably either be scared out of her mind or flattered that a mazoku had liked her in  _that_  way. But at the moment, Lina Inverse wasn’t sure what to feel.

            True, she was fond of Val, very fond in fact. He never once poked fun at her figure or lack there of, and it was awfully cute when he would call her ‘Auntie Lina’. And of course he was  _very_  easy on the eyes. Before he had been turned in a mazoku again, Val was certainly someone she’d consider going after – that is if she’d hadn’t known him since a tiny hatchling. Now that he was once again Valgaav, the old scars he was once again sporting gave the teen a rather sexy and rugged appeal that the sweet and somewhat shy anczoku had lacked.

            “G-Gomen, Lina,” said mazoku sputtered and blushing, fearing that he’d offended her in some way and abruptly removed his arms.

            During the whole mess with Dark Star, he had somehow developed feelings of lust toward the petite redhead and, thankfully to his present self, never got to act upon those feelings. But that didn’t mean he still had them. His actions and thoughts back at Grausherra’s domain were most certainly absolute proof they were still there, niggling at him and urging him to claim what was his.

            However, Val wasn’t about to let his baser side get what it wanted. Not after what that b@$^@rd of a mazoku did to her. He doubted she’d ever want anyone like  _that_  now that she’d been used in such a horrible way. He clenched his fists, trembling as he fought against the lust.

            “Thanks,” Lina said, smiling softly. He gasped when he felt her grab his larger hands and pulled his arms back around her. “I… I don’t mind if it’s you Val,” she murmured, blushing.

            Did she? Did this mean she had the same feelings? “Lina…” Val started, only to have the shorter mazoku turn in his arms and place a finger on his oh so kissable lips.

            “Don’t Val,” she pleaded, “Just… just hold me for now. Hold me tight and never let go. I’m scared I’d disappear completely if you don’t.”

            What could he say after that? He had no words that could really alleviate her suffering. Nothing could destroy that hideous bond, except for death of either master or minion. There was another way, though it was  **not**  an option; not to Val at least. Xellos had hinted that if another mazoku lord were to imbue another’s servant with a much larger amount of their own essence, there was probability of that servant switching loyalties.

            That was definitely  **out**  of the question. There was no way in hell he’d ever let that b*^ch or her namagomi of a minion lay a paw Lina. Not as long as he was alive. He was more than willing to die all over again if it meant his Lina was safe from those two.

            “If only Gaav-sama were here,” he murmured.

            “But he isn’t,” Lina replied, startling the aqua haired mazoku out of his thoughts. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “But thanks for offering Val,” she added, guessing at what her taller companion had been thinking. As far as mazoku lords go, Gaav wasn’t too bad I guess.”

            “He was an honorable and noble man,” Val said wistfully, remembering his time with the redheaded mazoku lord.

            “Since when are mazoku honorable?” Lina chuckled, “But I guess he could have been. He did save you after all.”

            “That he did, and I will be eternally grateful to him for that. I just wish I hadn’t disgraced him during… those days.”

            Lina nodded. “You let your grief blind you,” she said after a few moments of silence, “You never really did let me explain what happened to him. It wasn’t…”

            “I know. Now. I was so eager to place the blame on someone, anyone back then. You were the one he had been chasing after, so I had decided it was your fault Lina. I never even wanted to consider that Hellmaster was the real reason my master was dead. Besides, Phibrizzo was dead too so…”

            “I was the only available target, ne?” the redheaded mazoku finished, chuckling bitterly.

            “I truly am sorry for that Lina. I can’t understand why you…”

            “Enough of that!” she scolded, turning back around to face him again. “You got your chance to make it up to me, so don’t waste it on stupid apologies! Just do what you can, ok? No more ‘Sorry’s’.”

            He stared at her as if she’d just grown two extra heads and wings. Never had he ever expected her, Lina Inverse, of all people to forgive him so easily. Deciding that speaking now, would be a total waste of time, Val just nodded, blushing rather cutely. Lina returned the smile, blushing as well and snuggled against the taller mazoku’s well toned chest, grateful for Val’s presence. He was something familiar, something safe – despite the fact that he was once again Valgaav the mazoku instead of Valteira the teenaged anczoku.

            “It’s been long enough,” Lina muttered softly after several minutes of just holding onto Val and snuggling against him.

            “What has?” Val wondered fearfully, worried that Lina had suddenly no longer wanted comfort from him. He was rather enjoying his time with her, even if it was just holding each other.

            “I’ve been thinking, Val,” she began, “What if Gaav didn’t stay dead?” Valgaav blinked. What had she meant by that? “He got reincarnated as a human the first time he died right?” The aqua haired mazoku nodded then it clicked.

            “A-Are you saying that…”

            “I’m not really sure, Val, but it’s a possibility. Enough time has passed since the whole biz with him and Phibrizzo.”

            “But even if he did get reincarnated, we don’t even know…”

            “I know, I know,” she replied, “I really shouldn’t have said that, I was just thinking out loud anyway.”

            “Lina,” Val said determinedly and gently turning her rather kawaii face up towards his, “if you’re saying you want to go look for Gaav-sama…”

            “Val…”

            “No, Lina, don’t interrupt. If you want to look for him, then I won’t stop you. All I ask is that you…” He suddenly felt like the shy dragon boy he had been for the past eighteen years and turned his golden orbs away from her ruby eyes, “please let me go with you. I-I don’t want to let you out of my sight anymore.”

            It was Lina’s turn to be utterly stunned. She could feel the taller mazoku’s lust for her and it had been sending rather pleasant tingles up and down her spine, but they were being tempered with the more powerful emotion underneath that lust. She knew mazoku were capable of feeling fondness for another being, Xellos was living proof of that since he’d said over and over that he was rather fond of her. But love? Was that even possible for their kind?

            Loyalty, fondness, lust, possessiveness, yes; but who had ever heard of a mazoku falling in love? Then again she wasn’t exactly an expert on mazoku emotions so… Lina decided not to think too deep on the subject for now. After all, she and Val now had all the time in the world to figure that one out.

            “You really sure about this aren’t you?”

            “I’m not letting you go alone, Lina!” he replied empathically.

            The redheaded mazoku sighed. “You do realize we have to tell your mother, right?” Lina felt an eerie glee at the resulting shouting match that was sure to erupt once she’d announce her and Val’s impending departure from Wolf Pack Island and the others.

            “I’m still not letting you out of my sight, Inverse,” Val insisted.

            “Just remember you’re the one who brought up Gaav,” she said, resigning herself. She pulled herself away from the dragon mazoku’s arms – much to the disappointment of both – and made toward the door. “Why’s it always me?” she muttered under her breath.

 

 

**********************************************************************

 

            “So where do you think we should start looking?” the taller mazoku asked his smaller companion.

            “Beats me,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders.

            The aqua haired dragon mazoku was in no hurry at the moment. He knew he should find his former master as soon as possible since no one knew how long it’d take for a certain ice and snow loving mazoku lord to recover, but he didn’t want to rush this trip. He wanted to be able to enjoy being with the petite sorceress turned mazoku for as long as possible. Inwardly, Val growled at his rival’s words.

 

**Flashback**

             _They had just finished convincing the irate and frantic Filia that it was best Lina and Val go in search of Gaav. She most definitely didn’t like the idea of handing the petite redhead over to any of the mazoku lords, but they did have a point._

_Lina had over and over again explained how she was constantly being driven to go to Grausherra’s side due to what the two newborn mazoku had decided to call ‘the pull’. It was Zelgadis’ stern, yet calm voice and Lina’s urging that had finally swayed the former dragon priestess. So Filia had reluctantly let the two leave their group, but not before making Val swear to protect Lina at all costs – which of course he would even if he hadn’t been told to do so._

_He was about to go after the red haired object of his affections when he felt the presence of a certain purple haired mazoku._

_“What do you want, namagomi?” he spat in disgust._

_“Oh just to give a bit of advice, Valgaav-kun,” was Xellos’ cheerful reply, smirking at the younger mazoku’s reaction._

_The aqua haired mazoku had flinched at the older mazoku’s use of his former name. In spite of having regained the memories of his past life, Val still felt like that barely eighteen years old boy he’d been just a few short weeks ago. He hated himself for what he’d done to his ‘mother’ and to Lina as ‘Valgaav’. No amount of forgiveness from either woman had been able to ease the pain. True he was grateful for their kindness, but he just couldn’t forgive himself, not yet._

_“And what kind of advice can a namagomi like you possibly give?” Val retorted, anxious to get away from the twisted priest/general._

_“Just this._ _Don’t forget who she really belongs to,” he replied, his amethyst eyes open just enough for Val to see the feline pupils. “Who she really wants.” Without another word, Xelas’ chief servant faded from view._

_The dragon mazoku growled lowly, his hands clutched into fists. Val shook in barely restrained anger. “She’s not some toy for you to play with!!” he yelled, his words reaching no one’s ears. He had the sudden urge to hunt the older mazoku down and bash him with a giant mallet._

*********************************************************************

Xellos’s words had been weighing heavily on Val’s mind ever since they’d left Wolf Pack Island. It was no secret that Lina had a crush on the annoying namagomi for years. It stemmed all the way back to when he had snuck a kiss from her when they were trying to get a Claire Bible manuscript from a pack of bandits calling themselves the “Fighting Dragon’s Blood Macho Men”. *****

            But then she did cling to him a few short hours ago – to  **him** and not Xellos. Did that mean that she wanted him now? Or was Lina just reaching out to the only available source of comfort? He wanted to grab her and demand what she had been playing at, but doing so would most probably damage whatever it was they now had. To keep silent or not; it was driving him mad.

            “Val?” the redheaded mazoku called, when she’d gotten no response the past few minutes.

            “S-Sorry Lina,” he apologized, blushing for having gotten caught spacing out like that. “I was just… thinking.”

            She nodded, leaving the taller mazoku to his privacy. If he wanted to tell her what was bothering him, she’d wait ‘til he was ready. “So any ideas?”

            “Not really,” he said forlornly. He really didn’t know where Gaav would be, or even if he’d been reincarnated for that matter. “How about where you and he fought? Maybe we can find something.”

            ‘But don’t count on it’, was what was left unsaid. Lina Inverse was no idiot, but she did feel as though they were going on a fool’s errand. The actual chance of them succeeding in finding the reincarnated Maryuuou was pretty much next to nil.

            “Might as well try there,” she sighed, “It’s better than just wandering around with no direction.”

            “Lina…” Val attempted, placing a hand her shoulder.

            “Don’t Val,” she said, “You’ll just jinx things.”

            The aqua haired dragon mazoku nodded, but refused to let go. Lina gave him a tiny smile as thanks then teleported away. Valgaav shortly followed his smaller companion, homing in on her own unique signature.

 

~Tsuzuku~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *This happened waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy back in episode 2 of Slayers Next. And no, I didn’t make up that name. Hajime Kanzaka-sama did or whoever wrote for Next!!!


	6. Part 6

            “Explain yourselves mazoku,” the golden haired man snarled.

            “Hey Mil, no time no see,” Lina greeted cheerfully.

            The golden dragon narrowed his eyes. How he hated mazoku and their arrogant ways. “Who are you to address me in such a way, monster scum?”

            “Now, I’m hurt, Mil,” the redheaded mazoku said pouting, as she sat floating in mid air. “I can’t believe you’d forget all about cute little me, especially after all that traveling we did.”

            Milgazia growled. “I am not, never have, nor will I ever travel with a mazoku, witch!” he spat. If these monster scum weren’t going to explain why they had dared intrude on his valley, then he would have to teach them not to mess with the last of the golden dragon race.

            “I can’t have changed that much, Milgazia,” the redhead began, “It hasn’t been that long for you since the whole biz with Grau…  ** _him_**.” Lina still couldn’t bring herself to say the Haou’s name out loud. Her aqua haired companion placed his hands on her shoulders. She smiled in thanks, grateful for Val’s support.

            The head of the golden dragons of the Kataart Mountains blinked. The only person he knew of that had helped him and his elven lover Memphys against Dynast’s plans was… “Lina… Inverse?!” he asked in confusion. “You can’t be!” he shouted in denial, “The last time I saw Lina Inverse, she was a  **human**  not a piece of monster trash!”

            Valgaav had had enough of this man’s high and mighty attitude, besides now that he had his memories back, his former utter hatred of golden dragons had returned as well – though his ‘mother’ was the only exception. He may have hated these arrogant people, but he never could bring himself to hate Filia; she did raise him from an egg after all.

            However, he never did forgive the golden dragons for wiping out his people, the anczoku. To hell with Milgazia being one of his ‘mother’s’ people! The aqua haired mazoku lunged at the dragon. Linashouted for him to stop, but he ignored her. He wasn’t about to let this arrogant jerk get away with insulting his Lina.

            The aqua haired mazoku grabbed the front of Milgazia’s robes, his right arm covered in black scales and ready to strike.

            “THAT’S ENOUGH VAL!!!!!!” Lina bellowed, grabbing a hold of the scaly arm and promptly hit him upside the head. “Look, Mil, we didn’t come here to fight,” she tried once again in an attempt to play peacemaker, though she did enjoy the smell of apprehension wafting off the golden dragon.

            “Then why did you come here,  _Lina_?” Milgazia asked again, saying the girl’s name in a rather sarcastic tone. He still wasn’t sure if the mazoku before him really was Lina Inverse or just some sick joke.

            “We’re looking for any signs of Gaav,” Lina explained.

            “Hmph. As you can see he’s not here. If you really were Lina Inverse, you of all people would know Maryuuou Gaav is dead, now leave.” It was not a request.

            “Of course she knows that, you arrogant—“ snapped Val.

            Lina once again restrained her taller companion. The last thing she needed now was a full scale battle with a bunch of golden dragons. “Like Val-kun said, I know he’s dead, Mil. We’re looking for signs if he’s been reborn.”

            “Well, we haven’t seen any, if we had, we would have dealt with him accordingly,” Milgazia shot back, his patience extremely thin now.

            “Just like what you did with  _my_ people, the anczoku?!” Valgaav retorted.

            The golden dragon’s eyes widened in shock then narrowed. “I see,” he said with just the slightest hint of pity and shame. All golden dragons knew of the heinous culling of the anczoku race they unleashed all those centuries ago. It was their blackest moment in the entire history of their race. “You were once one of that doomed race, were you not? As penance for my part in that most blackest of times of or race, I will not strike you down where you stand mazoku. I will ask once again, leave our valley.”

            The once human sorceress nodded. There was to be no reasoning with the rather stubborn golden dragon. “Well, thanks anyway Mil. It was good to see you though,” she called as she began to teleport from the valley, a rather reluctant Val following. “Give Memph-chan my regards will you?”

            Milgazia’s gold eyes bugged. No one he knew ever called the elf girl ‘Memph-chan’, only a certain redheaded sorceress. “I will Lina,” he replied, not caring that the mazoku had already vanished. He then shook his head in dismay. “Just what have you gotten yourself into now, woman?” he muttered, not liking these new turn of events.

 

************************************************************************

 

            “Well, that went well,” grumbled Val as they reappeared a few miles away from the Valley of Dragons.

            “Must have caught him on a bad day,” Lina offered in apology, “Mil’s usually not so grumpy. A little stubborn and conceited, but then most gold dragons are.”

            “So what now, Lina? Go back there and make them talk?”

            The redhead glared then smacked him upside the head again. “Of course not!” she scolded. “The last thing we need is a bunch of angry dragons after us. Besides, I believe him. If Mil says Gaav didn’t come back here, then he didn’t.”

            The aqua haired mazoku frowned. “I’m sorry Lina, I didn’t mean to get your hopes up. I should have known that Gaav-sama…”

            “I’m not saying he didn’t get reincarnated, Val,” she interrupted before he went into another of his bouts of angst. “I’m just saying that he could be elsewhere.”

            “L-Lina, are you sure?”

            The petite mazoku sighed. “To tell the truth, not really, but I’ve got to try. It’s either that or give up and drag my sorry self back to… to…”

            Valgaav grabbed his shorter companion fiercely, holding her tight against him. “I would die a second time before I ever let that sick b@$^@rd touch you!” he vowed, causing Lina to blush profusely.

            “V-Val…”

            “Shh, Lina. I swore to ‘Kaa-san that I’d protect you and I will, always.” The aqua haired mazoku then turned her cute face up toward his and laid a soft kiss on her lips.

            Lina’s eyes tripled in size and her mouth did an impression of a fish caught out of water. Val quickly turned away, his face as red as her hair. They floated in the air for what seemed an eternity, each lost in their own thoughts.

            To say the red haired mazoku was stunned would be quite the understatement. Lina’s mind was a swirling mess of emotions. Before this whole mess, she never once would have thought of the aqua haired teen in  _that_  way at all. But now… she wasn’t so sure of herself. A part of her still had feelings for a certain annoying as all hell purple haired mazoku. He was her first love, though she’d never in a trillion years admit it to his face. That moment he’d kissed her in the lair of the “Fighting Dragon’s Blood Macho Men” bandit gang – so what if it was an indirect one – he began worming his sneaky way into her heart. Now, Dynast had to come after her, again, and suddenly she found herself sneaking tiny glances at someone she practically helped raise since an egg.

             _‘What the blazes is wrong with you, Inverse?!’_  Lina chided herself,  _‘You’re twice his age! Not only that, you were his nanny! His freaking nanny for crying out loud! He used to call you ‘Auntie’!’_

_‘Admit it,’_ another part of herself piped up,  _‘he’s hot! Just look at him! Those arms, those legs, those abs!’_  Lina mentally slapped herself before anyone saw her drooling, especially the  _very_  good looking dragon mazoku floating mere inches away from her.

             _‘Ok, so he is uh…easy on the eyes,’_  she admitted,  _‘but I just can’t do that to him. I can’t just string him along, it’ll kill him.’_

_‘Uh huh,’ that more realistic part of her quipped, ‘riiiiiiiiiiight. It’s obvious he wants you, and face it Inverse dear, you want him too. Why else would you have clung to him like that when you easily could have run to…’_

“Arrrghh!! Just shut it already!!!” she screamed, startling her taller companion. “I’m not in love with…”

            “Lina?” Val asked, genuinely concerned for his smaller crush’s well being.

            “Val,” she began, her voice taking on a rather serious tone, “Just what did you mean by that? Why did you…” Lina looked away slightly, blushing again, unable to finish her question.

             _‘She’s awfully cute when she blushes,’_  he noted, before shaking his head, to stop himself from going any further; it was obvious she was annoyed. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

            “Answer me, Val!” she demanded.

            “E-Ever since that day…” he started, not sure how to explain his own tumultuous feelings. “When you were… I thought I was going to lose you. I didn’t like it; the thought of someone else having you. When I saw you there… something inside… snapped.” She made to speak, but Val held up his hand indicating she should wait until he’d finished. “It was then I realized, I-I love you, Lina. I know you’d never feel that way about me, but I… I had to tell you.”

            Yet again, Lina Inverse was flabbergasted. The younger mazoku’s words had touched her deeply. She’d known that Val had always worshipped her as a child, but never did she once realize just how deep those feelings ran or what form they’d later take as he grew into adulthood. She was at a complete loss for words, she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Did she love him back? Possibly. That little voice inside her had a good point, she could have gone to Xellos for comfort, even if Val and Filia had practically kicked the trickster priest out of his own room while she stayed there recovering. But she didn’t. It was Val’s comfort and company she had desired.

            Not knowing what else to do, Lina let her body take the lead and kissed him fully on the lips. Val just floated there, blinking confusedly. It took several seconds for his short-circuited brain to realize what was going on before he let out a low growl and kissed back. The two fought for dominance for a few more moments then Lina gave in, allowing the taller mazoku to take full control.

            “Mine,” Val said in between a growl and purr then bent to lick and nip at the redhead’s slender neck.  _‘Hah! Take that you namagomi!’_ he sneered inwardly.

            Lina gasped and moaned as she felt the dragon mazoku’s fangs breach her skin, her mind too muddled to realize that he was marking her as his mate. Even if was aware of what was going on, she wouldn’t have cared anyway. She loved this man. There. She’d finally admitted it, she loved Val. All thoughts of a certain purple haired mazoku long since gone.

 

***********************************************************

 

            Back on Wolf Pack Island, Xellos sneezed, startling Amelia.

            “Oh my!” the black haired princess exclaimed, “You’re not catching a cold are you Xellos-san?”

            The purple haired mazoku smiled amicably at the human’s genuine concern. “It’s nothing Amelia-chan,” he excused, “It must have been a speck of dust.”

            “Oh. Okay then.” Amelia then went back to the book she had been reading, dismissing the mazoku once more.  _‘Gee, I hope Lina-san and Valteira-kun are all right,’_  she thought, hoping her dearest friend hurried back soon.

 

**************************************************************

 

            “Are you sure you want to look around here?” Lina asked, fanning herself from the desert heat. She may be a mazoku now, and thus a bit more resilient, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be immune to the intense noonday heat.

            “Gaav-sama always did say he preferred the desert to anywhere else,” replied the aqua haired mazoku. “I just thought that it’d be a better choice right now.”

            “Hey, I just remembered,” the petite mazoku piped up.

            “What’s that, koi?” Val asked, making his chosen mate blush.

            “This is where we first met, when you…” Val looked at her confusedly at the rocky landscape that marked the beginning of the Desert of Destruction, then immediately stiffened when he realized what the former human sorceress had meant. “Sorry, Val. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

            “It’s okay, Lina,” he assured her, “It’s that I’d never thought I’d come back to this place, hell, I couldn’t even remember meeting you here and now…”

            The redheaded mazoku growled, silently vowing to rip a certain ‘master’ of hers a new one for ruining poor Val’s chance at a normal life. “Val…” she laid a comforting hand on his arm.

            “Let’s get going Lina,” he said, wishing to drop the subject all together. Lina gave him a short nod; she understood how her taller lover felt. She had no wish to reminisce on the whole Dark Star mess either.

            After the two mazoku phased out of sight, an old woman crept from her hiding place. “Just what this desert needs,” she groused, “More demons.” Down the path another, younger, woman nodded her head in agreement as she and the rest of the tiny village crept from their huts.

 

***********************************************************

 

            Following the rumors they picked up from various caravans of beleaguered merchants and the occasional group of beastmen bandits of a vicious monster haunting the desert, Lina and Val continued deeper into the sand covered land. Neither said anything, both fearing that their unsaid prayers would be jinxed if they did.

            It wasn’t long before the two mazoku spotted a somewhat large city smack dab in the middle of the Desert of Destruction, which surprised the redheaded sorceress since it wasn’t on the map she’d coerced out of the beastmen bandits along the way.

            She was about to gripe about the poor quality of the parchment drawing when a humungous wall of sand rose in front of her, knocking the petite mazoku flat on her bum. Val ran to his mate’s side only to have the golden grainy substance hold him fast to the ground. He snarled in anger and frustration as he watched chains of sand wrap around Lina, effectively pinning her to the desert floor.

            “Explain your presence in my desert or else,” came a low monotonic voice. Lina couldn’t help but get shivers running up and down her spine at the sound of it.

            The aqua haired mazoku whirled his head to see a person about his age standing a few mere feet away from them. This teenager had short blood red hair and piercing aqua eyes that seemed to be looking straight into his very core. Val couldn’t help but lower his eyes from those hard and icy orbs. They just unnerved him, though they did seem a bit familiar somehow.

            Then it hit him! The strange sand wielding teenager glaring before them had the same eyes as…

            “G-Gaav-sama?!” the taller mazoku queried, remembering seeing the same look when the Maryuuou had stumbled upon a broken, battered, and half dead anczoku lad.

            The glaring redhead’s eyes widened slightly before narrowing back to their usual glare. Other than that, he hadn’t budged a single inch, his arms still crossed. “You may know me, mazoku,” he said, his voice not changing in tone one bit, “But I don’t know  _you._  I’m growing impatient, you best explain yourselves before I feed you to the sand.”

            Lina couldn’t believe their luck. Here they were traipsing all over the world looking for Val’s former master and here he was, standing mere feet away.  _‘L-sama must be in a reeeeeeeeeaaaaaallllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyy good mood if we found Gaav so quickly,’_  the petite mazoku mused.

            “Don’t you recognize me Gaav-sama,” Val pleaded as he felt the sand holding him start to drag him under, “your most loyal servant? Don’t you remember the dying anczoku you dragged from death’s door?”

            Annoyed aqua stared at the slowly sinking mazoku, scrutinizing every detail, every scar upon the other’s face. “Valgaav,” spoke the male redhead emotionlessly. The sand then dragged the dragon mazoku back out of the sand and released him.

            “Thank L-sama,” Lina said, drawing Gaav’s attention over to her prone form. The Maryuuou glared at her as he studied the petite sorceress. She was scrawny – not as developed as the human who insisted on calling herself his sister – nor was she as appealing. Tamerie had a more mature look to her while this mazoku was, well, childish looking at best, though she did look kind of cute.

            After a few unnerving – for her anyway – moments of Gaav’s intense scrutinizing, the faintest of smiles appeared on the Maryuuou’s thin lips. “Trying a new look are we, Lina Inverse?” he said, a tiny bit curious as to why the human redheaded girl he had tried to recruit in his last life was now a mazoku.

            Lina huffed, annoyed at not being immediately released like her lover and annoyed at the mazoku lord’s obvious amusement. “It’s not like I had a choice!” she spat defiantly in spite of the fear garnered from her memories of their previous encounters – she did have the hardest time in her life fighting him after all, not even Shabranigdo was that tough and he was the big boss of the mazoku too!

            Gaav continued to stare amusedly at the squirming female. “It was Grausherra,” Val offered in explanation. Aqua eyes swept over to his former minion briefly before returning to Lina. He growled lowly before causing the sand to cover the still bound redhead.

            “Gaav-sama, wait!” begged the aqua haired teen, “We can explain! We’re not here under his orders!”

            The golden substance paused just below Lina’s nose, but continued to churn and swirl as it impatiently waited for its master’s permission to go on ‘feeding’. “Explain then,” came Gaav’s monotonic voice.

            “C-Can’t you get me outta here?” the once human sorceress pleaded, “Please?” She then tried one of her best weapons, the dreaded puppy dog eyes.

            The redheaded mazoku lord only narrowed his eyes in impatience. “We came looking for you, Gaav-sama,” Val explained, his eyes never leaving his frightened mate. “Lina  ** _never_**  wanted to join Grausherra, or even be one of us!”

            “P-Please, G-Gaav… sama,” Lina beseeched, quickly adding the ‘sama’ in hopes to improve his mood, “let me join you!”

            The Maryuuou’s laughter echoed for miles throughout the desert air. “ ** _Now_** , you agree to join my side!” If she thought he was scary when they’d first met, Lina thought he was twice as frightening now. “I can see why mother likes you so much,” Gaav said between guffaws, “You amuse me Inverse. Maybe I will keep you.” The sand then lifted the female mazoku and dragged her closer to the redheaded mazoku lord.

            “Thank you, Gaav-sama,” Val humbly thanked.

            “I said maybe, Valgaav-kun,” Gaav interrupted. He gave the still uneasy mazoku sorceress another of his dominating stares, which caused her to gulp as those piercing aqua depths roamed up and down her trembling form. Once again the Maryuuou appraised the girl before him. She may have lacked that certain physical appeal, but he knew in spite of her current fear there lay a rather feisty fireball of a woman underneath; a quality he had always been attracted to in the past. Nodding to himself, he smirked, pleased with these interesting turn of events. “The Inverse girl may remain, but only if she becomes my concubine,” he announced, inwardly enjoying the look of utter shock and anger on Lina’s cute reddened face.

 

~Tsuzuku~


	7. Part 7

            To say that Lina Inverse was shocked would be the biggest understatement in the history of the written word. The redheaded mazoku stood there, mouth flapping but not a single sound came. Oh she wanted to protest, L-sama knew how she wanted to tell this arrogant pervert off, but Gaav’s unexpected demand had almost completely short-circuited every brain cell in her head.

            “Y-You can’t be serious, Gaav-sama!” her taller aqua haired lover sputtered, equally flabbergasted.

            “I assure you Valgaav-kun that I am deadly serious,” Gaav replied emotionlessly.

            Lina looked back and forth between the two males trying to come up with a decision as quickly as possible. She knew what her other options were, and they weren’t exactly any better. No matter what she chose, Lina knew she’d wind up in the bed of someone she absolutely didn’t love.

            “You don’t have to do this, Lina,” said Val. Former master or not, he wasn’t about to let Gaav lay a hand on his mate, even if it meant his own death.

            The redheaded sorceress sighed, her mind finally made up. She resigned herself to her fate. “I-I’ll do it,” she whispered, hanging her head.

            “Smart girl,” the Maryuuou said, smirking like the cat that had just gotten the canary.

            “Lina!” Val protested.

            Gaav was about to say something, but it was his soon to be concubine who beat him to it. “I have to Val,” she replied, “It really doesn’t matter anyway; I’ll end up in the same situation no matter who I serve.” The aqua haired dragon mazoku looked away from his mate, Lina was right. He’d lose her no matter where they’d wind up. He clenched his fists, the nails of his claws biting into the soft skin of his palms. He used the pain to keep himself from crying in front of his former master.

            “Besides,” Lina added, “Gaav can’t be that bad right? He’d let you live at least.” She looked toward the other redhead, silently pleading with him to spare her lover.

            Val flinched. What good was remaining alive if his mate was with another?

            The redheaded mazoku lord stood motionlessly, looking like some bizarre sculpture. It was another excruciatingly long pause before Gaav spoke again. “So that’s how it is,” he said in his usual emotionless monotone. “You desire her as well, Valgaav-kun.” The smirk returned to his otherwise stone like face as he gripped Lina’s tiny waist and pulled her against his chest. The petite mazoku ‘eeped’ at the sudden pull and had to cling to the slightly taller mazoku’s shirt to keep her balance.

            The younger male growled, but held his tongue. It would do no good whatsoever to argue with Gaav. He knew that when his former master had wanted something, nothing short of L-sama herself could stop him from getting it. The Maryuuou stared at the aqua haired teen, waiting for the typical response of an enraged rival. However none came. Val just stood there, unable to look at either redhead.

            “You’ve gotten smarter, Val-kun,” said Gaav, still holding Lina to him, “You used to be quite stubborn when I gave an order you didn’t approve of.” He then turned to the female in his grasp. “I will grant your ‘request’, my dear Lina and spare your lover. But should you in anyway defy me…” He left the rest of that threat hang. Besides, judging by the defeated look she was now sporting, there was no real need for anything else to be said. Lina Inverse was finally his.

            The mazoku lord inwardly frowned though; he had expected the girl to put up more of a fight.  _‘What could possibly have happened to her to make the great Lina Inverse so weak?’_ he wondered. Deciding answers would have to wait, he scooped the petite female up, much to Lina’s distaste – though she meekly let herself be slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes by the slightly taller redhead.

            “Come,” Maryuuou Gaav commanded, not sparing his prodigal servant another glance as he carried his new concubine off to the city. Val steeled himself; there will be time to rage and cry later. When given, his soon to be once again master had expected his orders to be obeyed immediately. With a heavy heart, the aqua haired mazoku followed the mazoku lord.

 

*********************************************************************

 

            “Welcome back, Garaba-sama,” one of the guards greeted none too excitedly as the mazoku lord strode trough the city gates. The other two mazoku looked at him questioningly, curious at the strange name.

            “You are to address me as ‘Garaba’ when we are not alone,” the Maryuuou clarified coldly. Neither Lina nor Val had a chance to ask the countless questions now running through their heads for the petite redhead had found herself dumped unceremoniously inside a humungous mansion at the center of the desert city and suddenly swarmed by a bunch of squealing and fussing human females fussing and asking questions of her and their master; it appeared that Gaav bringing back a concubine was big news, and she was pushed and pulled at by the various handmaidens their lord had employed. Before she knew what had happened, she found herself dressed in the finest of silks and her skin had been washed and so well oiled, that she practically glowed. It was if she were having one of her many dreams of being the wife to a prince or rich lord, but she was awake.

            She was quite impressed to learn that the Maryuuou had not only taken up residence in a city full of humans, but was actually their leader. Granted, said humans didn’t realize that their current ruler was actually a reincarnated mazoku lord – though there were a few who had their suspicions and were rather uneasy around him, hence the guard’s not so congenial behavior earlier. When asked about that, Gaav just smiled at her and said that as long as the humans didn’t ask, they didn’t need to know.

            Besides, he went on to explain that before his memories had returned, which had only happened around the same time as Val’s, most of the citizens had been calling him ‘monster’ and ‘demon’ since childhood. That was due to the cruel and harsh upbringing of his human father – their previous leader – the man had blamed him for the loss of his wife who had died giving birth to him.

            Lina couldn’t help but feel a tiny stab of pity for the redheaded male. She was suddenly reminded of Val’s own past life and decided to see if she could find someway to ease that pain she had sensed buried deep in Gaav’s heart while her own was beginning to crack due to the growing sense of guilt and shame she was now feeling. The petite mazoku sorceress shook her head to rid of such thoughts; she needed to stay strong for Val’s sake.

 

**********************************************************************

 

            She was now laying in the most luxurious king sized bed she’d ever been fortunate to lie in – it was so soft, she practically sank deep into the mattress. Her new master lay beside her. Had this been any other time, any other situation, Lina would have been overjoyed and having the time of her life. But she was not. The petite mazoku had been awake for the past few hours unable to get rid of the guilt of betraying Val still lingering in her slowly shattering heart. She knew she had to do this in order to spare them both any suffering, but still…

            “Why are you still awake?” Gaav asked, startling her. She had been sure he was asleep.

            “I-I didn’t mean to wake you, Gaav-sama,” she apologized meekly.

            “I don’t sleep,” was his stoic reply, “It is a habit I picked up in this life due to my  _father’s_  many assassination attempts.” He spat the word ‘father’ as if it had left a bad taste in his mouth. She was about to offer another apology when he held a hand to her lips. “Don’t. I do not need nor want your pity. I dealt with that human and most of the others who had made my life miserable.”

            Neither said a word for several minutes and Lina was still unable to get to sleep. “You still haven’t answered my question,” Gaav said with just a hint of annoyance. “Tell me why you cannot sleep.” It was more of a firm command than the concerned request of a lover.

             _‘You want to know why I can’t sleep?! Oh, I’ll tell you why alright. You take me from my lover, coerce me into your bed, and practically rape me! That’s why I can’t sleep!’_  is what she wanted to scream at the more powerful male, but Lina Inverse was no fool. She wisely kept her tongue.

            “Lina,” the other redhead warned impatiently. She suddenly found the heavy quilted coverlet interesting and began fiddling with it. The barest of smiles graced Gaav’s lips at his concubine’s cute behavior. “It’s Val-kun isn’t it?” he supplied when it became obvious she wasn’t about to answer him anytime soon. Normally, he’d punish his underlings for such insubordination, but somehow he just couldn’t do it to this tiny little slip of a girl.  _‘Hellmaster was right,’_  he thought to himself,  _‘Being stuck in human form like this time after time has made me too human.’_

“I-I love him,” she finally whispered. It was so soft he had to strain to hear it.

            “He’s had you hasn’t he?” he asked, barely able to restrain the jealousy bubbling and demanding to burst free.

            Lina sputtered, turning redder than their hair. “N-No of course not!” she emphatically denied. That earned a chuckle from her master.

            “But I’m not your first,” he added, “Don’t you dare try to deny that, Lina.”

            “Grau… It was Grausherra,” she forced out. There was a furious growl from the man beside her and Lina whimpered in fear for her life. Maryuuou Gaav was known to have quite the temper.

            “You had better tell me he forced you or else, woman. I do not take whores to my bed.”

            The shorter mazoku was fuming.  _‘H-How dare he call me a whore!’_  she raged inwardly. Before either realized it, her hand flew from her lap and connected rather violently with Gaav’s face. “Of course he forced me you b@$^@rd! Do you really think I’d willingly let someone like  _that_  touch me let alone come near me?!”

            The Maryuuou stared at his concubine in complete and utter shock. No one in all the lives he’d lived had ever struck him, and he could remember quite a lot from those previous lives.  _‘There’s the LinaInverse I remember,’_  he thought smiling inwardly; glad to see that he hadn’t broken her completely. That hadn’t been his intention at all. In fact it had slightly unnerved him that she gave in so easily, not to mention that he had to practically force her to enjoy their prior activities. His concerns had been confirmed; she had been trying to keep her lover safe. “No you wouldn’t,” he offered in apology.

            Lina was silent for several more moments, trying to comprehend the complex workings of the mind of a mazoku lord. “You’re going to keep me from seeing him aren’t you?”

            Gaav thought long and hard before giving her a reply. “You truly love him that much?” he said, deciding to answer her with a question of his own. He needed to know where this female’s true loyalties lay before binding her to him and thus making her one of his minions.

            Lina could only nod, fearing her words would only anger him further. Once again Gaav’s cavernous bedroom was filled with silence. “One last night,” she whispered, “Just give me one last night with him, please Gaav-sama.”

            “I will not give you up,” he spoke after much consideration. He once again prevented her from speaking, knowing it was only to beg once more. “But I can be a generous man. I will not deny you the company of Valgaav-kun.”

            The mazoku sorceress didn’t know what to say. In fact she didn’t know what to make of her master’s words. Did he mean he’d give her the ‘one last night’ she’d requested, or was it something else? She blushed profusely again as her mind took another trip to the gutter.  _‘Please, L-sama, don’t let it be what I’m thinking he’s saying,’_  she prayed.

            Of course, L-sama being the capricious chaotic being she was, wasn’t in a giving mood this night; she just looooooooooooved to see her favorite creation squirm. And not to mention had thought the three of them would be rather adorable together.

            “Of course, if you no longer desire Val-kun, I wouldn’t mind either,” the Maryuuou purred wrapping his arms around his concubine’s slender form and nipping at her earlobe, “I was only offering because Val-kun  _is_  rather desirable and I despise miserable bedmates.”

             _‘Oh dear L-sama, he… he was!’_ Lina’s mind barely managed to say and she continued to blush at the rather naughty images caused by Gaav’s words. The redheaded male laughed, amused by his concubine’s embarrassment.

            He turned her head to face his, smiling slightly. “I meant what I said, Lina-chan. I want you to be happy, but I cannot give you up; not after having a taste. You’ve ensnared me again you damned witch,” he snarled remembering the powerful stab of lust he had felt during his fight with the petite sorceress on Dragon’s Peak. He then pressed his lips to hers.

            It was a dominating kiss, but he left her a tiny bit of control. It was true that he wanted to possess her, but not in such a way that she’d be miserable and break further. He never took a lover or concubine who, on some level, he could treat as an equal. This tiny female was such a person. The Lina Inverse he had lusted over all those years ago was just as fiery as he and that had what originally drew him to her – that and the enormous amount of magical power L-sama had given her.

            Lina remained still, once again pondering Gaav’s words. She really and truly did love Val, loved him more than she could ever remember loving anyone, even Xellos. But she also found herself being attracted by this surprisingly human side of the Maryuuou.

            Yes, him having the body of a rather handsome young man did help sway her feelings – quite a lot in fact – but the more she remained at his side, the more she had seen him mingle with his subjects, she came to realize that her aqua haired lover had been right. Maryuuou Gaav was indeed an honorable and noble person, though most of the time he acted like a spoiled brat – he did force her to be his concubine after all.

            However, she was beginning to see that it was all an act, a type of armor so to speak, to prevent the other mazoku lords from deeming him as ‘weak’ and ‘soft’ and use that as an excuse to attack his adopted home.

            “Can I have some time to think about it?” she asked, somewhat relieved when he let her push him away, thus breaking their kiss – which she had found to be increasingly difficult.  _‘Why did he have to be such a good kisser?!’_ she mused.

            Gaav was disappointed, but he knew forcing himself upon her again would probably only result in breaking Lina’s proud and fiery spirit even more. He nodded, releasing her. “Go to sleep, Lina,” he said rising from the bed and began to dress.

            She watched as he finished putting on his hastily discarded clothing and phased from the room. It was dawn when the redheaded mazoku had finally passed out from sheer mental and emotional exhaustion, her physical form fading from view as her astral self retreated to the astral plane to recover.

 

*****************************************************************

 

            It was around noon when the petite redheaded mazoku finally returned to the physical plane and to Gaav’s bed. Lina wasn’t surprised that her master hadn’t returned; he was leader of the vast desert city they were now residing in. Guessing the redheaded Maryuuou was busy at doing whatever he usually did, the mazoku sorceress dressed in the sakura blossom pink kimono that had been left for her and then decided to wander around Gaav’s mansion and explore a bit. Besides she still needed to think about what her master had said the previous night.

            “Lina!” called the aqua haired mazoku, running up to his mate. Val, like her had been wandering about the expansive mansion since Gaav hadn’t given him anything to do yet. “I’ve been looking ALLover for you!” he said, trapping her in a huge bear hug. “Are you alright? Did Gaav-sama hurt you?”

            “I’m fine Val,” she answered, prying herself from the taller mazoku’s exuberant embrace.

            “Lina…” the aqua haired mazoku started upon smelling the distress lying under that hastily spoken sentence. “What did he do?” he asked forcing the smaller redhead to face him.  _‘Master or not, if Gaav-sama’s hurt her in anyway, I swear I’ll...’_

            “Face it Val,” she replied, breaking his train of thought, “I’m his concubine now, you’ve got to expect Gaav to do… that.” Lina blushed, still not used to sharing a bed with a man, let alone one who just happened to be a mazoku lord.

            “He hasn’t bound you to him yet,” growled Val, not liking another touch his mate one bit, “We can still get out of here and go back to the others.”

            “No way!” the mazoku sorceress protested, “Are you nuts, Val?! If I did that, I’d just be putting everyone in danger! There’s no way Gaav would let me go, he made that quite clear last night.”

            “But… you’re unhappy, Lina.”

            “I don’t like being Gaav’s concubine, but what other choice do I have Val?” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist and snuggling against the taller mazoku’s well toned chest. “I told you yesterday, it doesn’t matter who I wind up serving. Xel would kill you just to have me all to himself, and Grau… you-know-who would do the same. At least Gaav’ll let you live.”

            Val held his petite mate tightly, afraid she’d vanish into nothing any moment. “What kind of life would it be if you’re not with me?” he spat bitterly.

            “Indeed,” Gaav said, startling both lovers. The redheaded mazoku lord smirked, obviously amused by his concubine’s embarrassment at being caught having a tryst with her lover. He had been hoping for a quick one with the petite female while on his lunch break and had been on his way to his room when he ran into his prey in the hall.

            “G-Gaav-sama!” Val sputtered, worried for his mate’s life now more than his own. “I-It’s my fault, please don’t punish…”

            The Maryuuou laughed; it wasn’t his usual maniacal one that got his subjects wetting themselves, but a genuine heartfelt laugh. “I am well aware of your relationship with, Lina-chan,” he said after composing himself. He then grabbed the slightly shorter female and held her close to his slightly taller body. “My concubine and I had a nice chat last night.”

            Once again, the aqua haired mazoku found himself fighting against the urge to fight for his mate. “Gaav-sama?” he queried, confused as to why his master wasn’t angry at his touching Lina.

            “I made our dear Lina-chan an offer,” he explained, causing Lina to blush even more as some rather naughty images flooded her brain yet again at that particular memory.

            “An… offer?” Val parroted.

            “Yes, an offer to share. She has made it abundantly clear as to how much you mean to her, Val-kun. And you should know that I loathe it when my bed partner isn’t enjoying themselves.”

            This time both Val and Lina blushed profusely. The aqua haired mazoku didn’t know what to make of his master’s words. The mere thought of any man touching his mate in that way was enough to get his blood boiling, but he knew that he would be no match for this mazoku, despite the fact that he now had a great deal of the mazoku lord’s power.

            “Of course, if you refuse Valgaav-kun,” the Maryuuou said, gauging his prodigal minion with his piercing teal eyes, “You are free to leave, but I’m afraid Lina will have to remain here.”

            Would he leave his mate all alone to be condemned to such a fate? Of course he wouldn’t! But remaining there knowing that his mate was no longer his would be a fate worse than death for him. The redheaded mazoku lord’s offer still stood though, but could he… would he be willing to share the woman he’d come to value above everything else?

            Val looked over to his precious Lina and saw the desperate pleading in her beautiful ruby eyes; pleading for him to not leave her, pleading for him to what… to accept the offer… to just forget her? That day he’d confessed his love for the petite mazoku seemed so far away now, it practically felt like it was a lifetime ago. So much had happened so fast, Grausherra’s attack, Lina’s friends rushing off to the rescue along with him, and now this mess with Gaav.

            His anczoku and mazoku sides warred with each other; one side demanding he yank the female away from the mazoku lord and fully claim her as his mate, the other urging him to accept Gaav’slecherous offer.

            “You won’t hurt her?” the aqua haired teen pleaded.

            “Tell me, Valgaav-kun,” Gaav replied, “Whenever have I ever hurt any of my lovers?”

            Val lowered his head in shame, his master was right. The few times he’d seen his master with a female, the woman seemed to enjoy being in the Maryuuou’s presence. In fact, the mazoku lord had seemed to be doting on her and treating his lover with the same respect and care he’d shown him. “I… I accept your offer, Gaav-sama,” Val said after running over things in his mind. “Just treat Lina right, that’s all I ask.”

            The redheaded male smiled, pleasantly surprised. Not once during his servitude did Valgaav ask for anything. He may have argued over orders occasionally, but never once did he ask for anything for himself. It pleased him greatly to see the teenaged mazoku finally develop a backbone. “I intend to, Valgaav-kun,” he purred, leaning his chin on the mazoku sorceress’ shoulder.

            Lina shivered at the seductive tone of the Maryuuou’s voice.  _‘Gods!_ _Can this guy be any hotter?!’_ she pondered, feeling as if her knees had just turned into melted butter at the sound of that silky smooth baritone.

            “We have come to an understanding then?” Gaav asked, still gazing at the taller dragon mazoku. Val nodded, blushing under the heated glance of those soul searing eyes. “Good. I expect to see you both later tonight,” the Maryuuou said releasing his concubine before returning to his work, a satisfied smirk upon his handsome face.

            Both mazoku promptly fainted from extreme blood loss.

 

~Owari~


	8. Epilogue

Epilogue

 

            Life wasn’t exactly perfect for the petite redhead, but it wasn’t horrible either. Gaav she learned was a stern master yes, but also a kind one. He had treated each and every one of his subjects, human and mazoku, with the proper respect according to how they’d treat him.

            The mazoku sorceress suspected it was due to him having spent so many lives sealed into a human form, but never could bring herself to ask. For she had sensed it had been a delicate subject since Gaav never cared to bring it up.

            Lina found that she actually didn’t mind sharing a bed with the Maryuuou and Valgaav – Val had decided to go back to his old name since he was going to once again serve under the redheaded mazoku lord. She still blushed profusely whenever her master invited her and her aqua haired lover to his chambers for the night – which was quite often.

            The petite female was now sleeping peacefully, snuggled between her two bedmates both men had their arms wrapped securely around her slender form. The Maryuuou smiled as he watched his concubine and her lover sleep. Even though he had been sleeping more easily with her beside him, Gaav still suffered from insomnia caused by his human father’s abuse. He lay content to stroke Lina’s fiery red hair, enjoying the feeling of the silky strands slipping through his fingers. She gave a tiny whimper as she continued to dream and snuggle against Val’s warm chest.

            The redheaded mazoku lord felt a tiny stab of guilt at that sound, the binding he had performed earlier that day had been quite painful for the tiny female. Grausherra’s essence had clashed and fought violently with his own and poor Lina had to suffer excruciating agony a second time as the war waging inside her had practically killed her and Gaav was forced to bring her back from the brink of death.

            She had then been passed out ever since. Her aqua haired lover had simply refused to leave Lina’s side, which caused the slightly shorter male to feel the burn of jealousy; however he squelched it deferring to help care for the unconscious female. Valgaav had been grateful for his master’s assistance and gladly allowed him to carry her off to his bedroom.

            Gaav frowned when he felt an all too familiar presence hanging about just outside their room. Grabbing a burgundy yukata, the Maryuuou rose reluctantly from his sleeping partners, trusting the aqua haired dragon mazoku to protect the much smaller female, and phased onto the mansion’s roof.

            “So the rumors are true,” the purple haired mazoku spoke, his amethyst eyes closed, thus hiding the intense jealousy within. “Maryuuou Gaav has been reborn yet again.”

            The redhead glared at this unwanted late night visitor. Xellos gasped when he suddenly found his throat clutched tightly by a rope of golden sand. “What do you want, Metallium?” Gaav demanded, skipping the formalities.

            “Yare yare,” Xel replied nonchalantly in spite of the fact his throat was seriously on the verge of getting crushed, “Still the hothead I see, Gaav- _sama_.”

            “Answer me, or my  _dear_   _sister_  will need a new servant,” the shorter male snarled and ever so slightly tightened the grainy noose.

            The purple haired trickster gulped, he knew full well that the Maryuuou would go through with that threat. He shivered a bit, remembering the near fatal beating he’d received during their ‘meeting’ on Dragon’s Peak. Also if she knew what he was up to, his mistress would most definitely severely punish him – he had snuck off the island yet again.

            “I was just seeing how Lina-chan’s doing. Her friends are quite worried you know.”

            “She’s fine, now get out of my desert,” commanded Gaav.

            “What? Don’t I get to say hello at least?” Xellos chirped, determined to retrieve  _his_ Lina. Oh yes, Lina Inverse was certainly his. He hadn’t been completely blind to all those signals the petite redhead had been sending him over the years, he just took it for granted that she and he would always be together. And now that that damned Grausherra had to go and attempt to claim her, not to mention Gaav as well. The purple haired mazoku felt it was time to take what was his by rights.

            He had been floating outside Gaav’s window for hours, watching his ‘little fireball’ snuggle against the other two males and was sorely pressed not to blast the entire city to the Sea of Chaos just to get at his woman. He was fuming, he had warned Val, and the little dragon brat had dared touch what was his! And what was worse, he had even allowed the Maryuuou access to her as well.

            “Don’t. Try. My. Patience,” the redheaded mazoku lord ground out. “Leave.”

            Xellos gripped his demon stone tipped staff, which he had managed to summon, tightly readying to blast his latest rival. Swift as a cobra, more of the golden substance leapt up and wrapped around the violet headed mazoku’s wrist. There was a sickening crunch as bones were shattered under the force, causing Xel to let go of the wooden weapon, the staff making a dull thunk as it hit the stone roof.

            Another sickening snap resounded through the night air as Xel’s arm was wrenched at an angle no human form could handle, effectively disabling the mazoku’s further use of that limb. “I should have finished you off the last time we met,” Gaav roared, greatly annoyed at the audacity of Juuou’s minion.

            “Hmph, I know when I’m not welcome,” the priest/general spat, clutching his now useless right arm, his staff forgotten since it had been already sent back to wherever it was he had it stashed. With that, Xellos vanished, teleporting back to Wolf Pack Island to nurse his broken bones and severely wounded pride. He had wanted to finish their fight, but he felt his mistress yank at their bond rather harshly. _‘Yare yare, looks like I got busted again,’_  he sighed inwardly as he slowly faded from sight.

            The Maryuuou stood still for a few moments, making sure his city was safe from Xellos’ wrath. When no further attempts came from the annoying trickster, Gaav phased back into his chambers.

            Upon seeing his minions still slumbering and safe in his bed, the redheaded male joined them, pulling Lina tightly against his silk covered chest. She mumbled cutely in her sleep as she began to stir. Within moments, the mazoku sorceress’ ruby eyes fluttered open and she hazily gazed around the room. Realizing where she was and who she was with, Lina squirmed in the slender yet strong arms holding her until she was facing her master.

            “Gaav-sama?” she queried, concerned at the fierce possessiveness within his teal orbs.

            “You are  _mine_ ,” he growled continuing to crush her against him as a child would their most precious teddy bear. “No, you are  _ours_ ,” he amended remembering the other man she held in her heart. “I will not let anyone other than Val-kun have you,” Gaav vowed.

            “What happened?” Lina pressed.

            “Go back to sleep, Lina,” the Maryuuou replied, in no mood to talk at the moment.

            “But…”

            “Leave Gaav-sama be, Lina,” Valgaav mumbled sleepily having woken up at the loss of her warmth, “He’ll tell us what’s going on when he thinks it’s necessary.” He wrapped his arms around the petite mazoku’s waist and pressed his chest against her back. He had been with the Maryuuou longer and was more in tune with their master’s moods. If Gaav wanted to talk, he’d talk, if not, well nothing short of L-sama Herself would get the mazoku lord to talk.

            Lina sighed, not liking to be kept out of the loop, but allowed her two bedmates to hold her as they lay back down. A few minutes later all three mazoku were sound asleep, both males resting their heads in the crooks of Lina’s shoulders as they held the petite mazoku as close as they possibly could.

 

 

~The End (for real this time)~

**Author's Note:**

> Translations for Slayers newbs:  
> Anczoku – Ancient Dragon   
> Mazoku – Demon/Monster depending on which translation you’re watching or reading  
> Namagomi – literally translates as kitchen waste, but can mean raw garbage (Filia’s favorite word for Xellos ^_^)  
> Kaa-san – Mom  
> Yare yare – not really sure what this means, but I’ve seen it translated as ‘Oh my’ or ‘My my’ or 'Good grief'


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